Tank cap



F. N. MAREANE TANK CAP 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed Aug. 26, 1949 A T TOFNE'Y 2Q, 1952 F. N. MARIAN! 295979914 7 TANK CAP Filed Aug. 26, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 -TTORNEY Patented May 20, 1952 TANK CAP" I Z FfankiNiiMirianiii Wasli'iii'gtcnflieight'sa.

Newayork, N117; r I I Application A'ugust'26, 1949;Seria1 This invention" is a tank cap? particularly ap plicable" to" a liquid"conductingjconduitextending from alfiuidr'ec'eiving tank carriedby"se1'fpro'- pelled 'machines: The object" ofithe invention" resides in the provision. of" a' ,simplifiedbut incp'roved' tank cap" wherein. the shellthereof'is appreciably interrupted by a" relief opening; to: completely receive the swingable self closing closure of the capfa'dapted-to" be' actua'tedby a' fliiid conducting; nozzle when inserted into; the capwh'erebytheclosure fully clears the 'bore of the shell J to preclude interference with the fuel inits passage to thefliiid receiving. or gastank', thereby. permitting .the latter to be filled'more quickly. Another object'd'eals .witli novel'means toprovidea seali tight connection between the conduit orcap retainer'andthe tankcap. Other important objects, featureslandi functional and structural. advantages of. the invention. will appear from thefollowi'ngzdetailed description taken with the: accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 isa-perspectiveview of i the tank: cap according to my invention shown closed and mountedon a; fluid conductingv conduit extendi'ngt fr'om the gas tank.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged .vertica-l sectional view-of the tank eapshownin Fig. 1 but rendered inaccessible by a swingable door carried by, onez of the rear fenders.

Fig.-. 3 is-atransverse sectional: view on the line 3.-3 ofiFig. 2.

Fig; 4 -is-a fragmentary perspective view of the upperpart of the gasoline conduit orpipe how-- ever with the tank cap removed therefrom Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view-of Fig. 2, illustrat ing. the swingable closure carried by the-tankcap fully depressed and clear ofthe bore ofvertically slotted tubular grill or shell.

Rig. 6V is a sectional view-onthe'line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Eig...7 is a sectional andfragmentaryview-of the :tank capshowing the :head detached from. the-shell.-

Ei g-r 8 is an underneath view of. the. head of 1 the tank. cap taken on the line. 8-8 -01". Fig. 7.

Fig. .9 is a view taken on. the line 919'.of Fig.7 however. showingthe swingable cover opened" and.

Fig... 10 is. a... perspective. view of the head and shell detaehedlbut with thecl'osing closurev The tank capbroadly denoted'T'Cis cl'l'arace t'eriz'e'd by a relatively'large annular .headHlliavingsecuredlthereto cylindrical shell or tube. S which. includes at its bottom the spaced bars 3' defiriinga grillito preclude undesirable". large ob je'cts from flowing into tank TL For a similar purpose tli'ecylindrica'l body 0fthe sliel1 is-also inv theform ofa'grill being interruptedb'y the spaced vertically "arranged slots I 0 to constitute between spaced lugs, .or ears-l6 integral with and extendingirom the upper part ofthe tube orshell" S; Fulcrum pin" l1" extends through'ithe ears l5 and" lugs 16' topivotallysustain closur l3'relative to-shellS and head-H.

As previously mentioned closure [3 normally seals-orifice or opening I2.in.headH; In-other* words the pivoted closure is automatically held fully elevated. This isaccompli'shed-by the spring l8 coiled, about fulcrum pin l7 and having one free and relatively. long. offset end l9" retained" within the .slot 20 of. projection 2| extending. from the inner faced-closure I3. This end' l9is also confined. in groove 22 interrupting the lower face 0t arm 14; The other free end. 23 of spring. l8. r is retained within. groove. lflfinthe underface. oil

head H. By the'presentarrangement, the-spring I8 is wound up when closure 13 is depressed-as in the case of insertion of a liquid ejecting nozzle (not shown) in orifice-I2; However to preclude interference: on the partcf the closure. l3 at this time, it will be observed that the slotted shell S' iscinterrupted by-a relativelyj deep relief opening 25" at the' upper. part thereof. Thuswith the-fluid ejecting nozzle inserted. within; orifice 12, this.

nozzle will pivotally displace closure 13 downwardly and' fully into and out ofi relief opening- ZE'v-and even beyond" shell s' into the annular" channel -ZG' defined by the tubular retainer or'conduit 21- extending from and incommunication with-fuel holding tank T; Conduit 21 is provided at-itsupper-end with the inwardly overhanging rim- 28% interrupted by" diametricallyarranged slots 2-9; Conduit 21 is spaced from and extendsunderneath the swingable panel or door'D on" one'of'therear' fenders E; v

Ordinarily'pivotedidoor;D renders the tankcap TC inaccessible (Fig; 2) butwhen raised, thefiuid ejecting nozzlet is ad'aptedto operate and fully depress: the spring actuated pivoted closure l3 into-relief"opening 25, thereby the entire cross sectionalare'a or here of the cylindrical shell is rendered free and" utilized, thus facilitating promptfillfng of the tank and without interference as previously' stated from the self. closing: closure" l3"which' isnow maintained out"of"the way by the nozzle in the annular compartment or channel 26.

In mounting tank cap TC on conduit 21, door D is swung open or raised, shell [3 is inserted into conduit or pipe 21 so that diametrically arranged keys or lugs 3| projecting from shell S enter slots 29. Thereafter the shell is dropped whereby the tapered an'd downwardly contracted neck N falls against the inner margins or seats L of the interrupted annular and inwardly overhanging rim 28 which may be considered as a retainer for the tank cap. It will be observed that a resilient washer W is within annular flange 30 of head H and is seated on the annular rim 28. The washer is compressible and insures a seal tight connection whenv cap TC is rotated relative to the retainer or conduit 21. Anchored in slots '32 in diametrically arranged keys 3| are the primary and secondary leaf springs 33 and 34, both of which extend at an angle and upwardly beyond the respective lugs, the springs 33 extending beyond the springs 34. The ends of springs 33 cooperate to hold washer W tightly on seat or rim 28 after keys 3| which extend laterally of shell S strike stop lugs 35 depending from lips L. Springs 34 strengthen the action of springs 33 to maintain the seat tight relation whereby washer W is firmly clamped against rim 28 by the annular but fiat shoulder 50 of head I-I.

According to the invention the upper enlarged portion of shell S is provided with the interrupted annular rim dll from which lugs l6 extend. This rim forms a tight friction fit with walls of the annular channel 4! defined by the spaced annular ribs 42 and 43 integral with and within head H which also includes recess 44 for conveniently receiving the spaced lugs or ears lfi'of the shell and also characterizes means for in part receiving the offset arms [4 of the pivoted closure [3. The friction fit between head If and shell S securely holds these parts together.

Various changes may be made in details of construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof inherent therein.

I claim:

1. A tank adapted to receive fuel from a nozzle, comprising; a shell including a cylindrical body having a plurality of vertically arranged and spaced bars and including a relatively large vertical relief opening, a head in part overhanging said body and secured to the upper part of said shell and having a centrally arranged horizontal orifice, a swingable arm connected to said shell and having a closure normally covering said orifice and adapted to be actuated by said nozzle for swinging thereof downwardly into said relief opening to preclude obstruction of the interior of said shell during discharge of fuel into the latter, and spring means cooperating with said arm to normally hold said closure within said orifice.

2. A tank cap adapted to receive fuel from a nozzle, comprising; a shell including a cylindrical body having a plurality of vertically arranged and spaced bars and including a relatively large vertical reentrant relief opening in communication with the bore .of said shell, a head in part overhanging said body and secured to the upper part of said shell and having a centrally arranged horizontal orifice, a swingable arm connected to said shell and having a closure normally covering said orifice and adapted to be actuated by said nozzle for swinging thereof downwardly into said relief opening to preclude oh- 1 struction of the interior of said shell during discharge of fuel into the latter, and spring means cooperating with said arm and head to normally hold said closure raised within said orifice.

3. A tank cap adapted to receive fuel from a nozzle, comprising; a shell including a cylindrical body having a plurality of vertically arranged and spaced bars and including a relatively large vertical relief opening and including a rim provided with spaced ears, a head in part overhanging said body and secured to the rim and having a centrally arranged horizontal orifice, fulcrum means carried by said ears, a swingable arm carried by said fulcrum means, a closure at one end of said arm and normally covering said orifice and adapted to be actuated by said nozzle for swinging thereof downwardly into said relief opening to preclude obstruction of the interior of said shell during discharge of fuel into the latter, and spring means in part surrounding said fulcrum means and cooperating with said arm and head to normally hold said closure within said orifice.

4. A tank cap adapted to receive fuel from a nozzle comprising a shell including a cylindrical body having a plurality of vertically arranged and spaced bars and including a relatively large vertical opening and including an upper rim provided with laterally extending spaced ears, a cylindrical head overhanging said body and having spaced ribs frictionally secured to said rim and having a recess for receiving'said ears, said head having a centrally arranged horizontal orifice, fulcrum means carried by said ears, a swingable arm carried by said fulcrum means and severally receivable into said recess and in said opening, a closure integrally carried by and at one end of said arm and normally covering said orifice and adapted 'to be actuated by said nozzle for swinging thereof downwardly into said opening to preclude obstruction of the interior of said shell by said closure and arm during discharge of fuel into said shell, and spring means in part surrounding said fulcrum means and cooperating with said arm and head to normally hold said closure in covering relation to said orifice.

5. A tank cap adapted to receive fuel from a nozzle comprising; a shell including a cylindrioal body having a plurality of vertically ar ranged and spaced bars and including a relatively large vertical opening and including an upper interrupted rim provided with laterally extending-spaced ears, a cylindrical head overhanging said body and having spaced annular ribs frictionally secured to said rim and having a recess for receiving said ears, said head having a centrally arranged horizontal tapered orifice, fulcrum means carried by said ears, a swingable arm carried by said fulcrum means and severally receivable into said recess and in said opening, a tapered closure integrally carried by and at one end of said arm and normally covering said orifice and adapted to be actuated by said nozzle for swinging thereof downwardly into said opening to preclude obstruction of the interior of said shell by said closure and arm during discharge of fuel into said shell, and. helicoidal spring means in part surrounding said fulcrum means and having terminals cooperating with said arm and head to normally hold said closure in covering. relation to said orifice.

6. In combination, conduit means adapted, to

receive fuel from a nozzle and having an inwardly overhanging seat including alined slots, a tank cap comprising a tubular shell embodying a vertically arranged relief opening in communication with the bore of said shell, a head fixed to the upper part of said shell and in part overhanging and surrounding the latter and including an orifice in communication with said bore, a swingable arm carried at the upper part of said shell, a closure at the inner end of said arm for normally covering said orifice and depressible into said opening to be clear of said bore, key means extending from said shell and receivable into said slot for positioning said cap on said seat, a washer mounted within said head and cooperating with said seat to provide a seal tight connection between said cap and conduit on rotation of said cap relative to said conduit, spring means carried by said key and cooperating with said seat to maintain said seal tight connection, and spring means for maintaining said closure and covering relation to said orifice.

7. In combination, conduit means adapted to receive fuel from a nozzle and having an inwardly overhanging annular seat including alined slots, a tank cap comprising a tubular shell embodying a vertically arranged relief opening in communication with the bore of said shell, a circular head fixed to the upper part of said shell and in part overhanging and surrounding the latter and including an orifice in 6 communication with said bore, a swingable arm carried at the upper part of said shell, a closure at the inner end of said arm for normally covering said orifice and depressible together with said arm into said opening to be completely out of said bore, key means extending from said shell and receivable into said slot for positioning said cap on said seat, a washer mounted within said head and cooperating with said seat to provide a seal tight connection between said cap and conduit on rotation of said cap relative to said conduit, leaf spring means carried by said key and cooperating with underface of said seat to maintain said seal tight connection, and spring means for maintaining said closure and covering relation to said orifice.

FRANK N. MARIANI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

